I thought I'd cracked it....

[uksnowy]

....then I get this rejection on a long story in 2 parts with no underage.

"Please fix the formatting of your punctuation. Generally, the rule is to have no spaces before most punctuation (periods, commas, exclamation points, etc.), and one space after them. Please read the essay "How to Punctuate Like a Pro" in the Writer's Resource section (link below) for more complete instructions."

In my view, this is a very very minor point, considering a lot of the poor stuff that is accepted, for people reading my stuff to pick up on and I have re-read a lot of the rejected piece (19 pages) and cannot find an example of the breach of rules as above.

My gut feeling is that my previous comments have upset the powers that be and they just had it in for me. Cracked it, as in the header, was that my recent work has all got in without rejection as I have done my best to write as required.

 

[jellogrl]

Sorry it got rejected.

I'm sorry to know that your story got rejected this time around. From what I gather from your post, it seems like with some minor editing of punctuation, that it might be accepted.

If you're too frustrated to do that right now, that's understandable...put the story away for a week or so, then after editing, give it a try. Don't give up on it, just put it away for now.

 

[Handley_Page]

....then I get this rejection on a long story in 2 parts with no underage.

"Please fix the formatting of your punctuation. Generally, the rule is to have no spaces before most punctuation (periods, commas, exclamation points, etc.), and one space after them. Please read the essay "How to Punctuate Like a Pro" in the Writer's Resource section (link below) for more complete instructions."

In my view, this is a very very minor point, considering a lot of the poor stuff that is accepted, for people reading my stuff to pick up on and I have re-read a lot of the rejected piece (19 pages) and cannot find an example of the breach of rules as above.

My gut feeling is that my previous comments have upset the powers that be and they just had it in for me. Cracked it, as in the header, was that my recent work has all got in without rejection as I have done my best to write as required.

Well, that's mildly encouraging, I guess.
Snowy, just fix the punctuation in the universally-accepted manner.
If you are doing it in English, as opposed to American, I suggest you put a note at the top of your story to that effect.
Or get a Beta reader.

Good Luck

 

[Haulover]

"Please fix the formatting of your punctuation. Generally, the rule is to have no spaces before most punctuation (periods, commas, exclamation points, etc.), and one space after them. Please read the essay "How to Punctuate Like a Pro" in the Writer's Resource section (link below) for more complete instructions."
...

I write using a word processor (MS-Word)

Before submitting, I always do global replaces of things like:
- Replace (space)comma with comma (repeat until no more changes)
- Replace (space) period with period (repeat until no more changes)
- Replace (space) line-end with line-end (repeat until no more changes)
- Replace (space)(space) with (space) (repeat until no more changes)

Then search for:
- Quote period - and fix as appropriate (usually with period quote)
- Quote comma - and fix as appropriate
- Quote exclamation - and fix as appropriate
- Quote question-mark - and fix as appropriate

Then I ensure double-line spacing between paragraphs, by manipulating the CRs *carriage returns ... i.e. the end of line markers):
- Replace CR CR with CR (repeat until no more changes)
- Replace CR with CR CR

It takes all of 3 minutes, and cleans up the formatting nicely.

(If anyone wants a primer on how to do these in MS-Word, let me know...)

 

[OmnislashXX]

I've gotten rejected for that very reason as well. Just edit and resubmit.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I've gotten rejected for that very reason as well. Just edit and resubmit.

Uksnowy really needs to find an editor. I've lost count how many times he has started threads with the exact same problem. The solution hasn't changed.

 

[NicoleZ]

In my view, this is a very very minor point

I fully agree Uksnowy, it is indeed a very minor point and should take you no more than an hour or so to fix so that it complies with the detailed instructions given. It's not as if you'd have to rewrite the whole thing and completely remake all your characters and scenes, is it now?

 

[ChloeTzang]

I fully agree Uksnowy, it is indeed a very minor point and should take you no more than an hour or so to fix so that it complies with the detailed instructions given. It's not as if you'd have to rewrite the whole thing and completely remake all your characters and scenes, is it now?

Quite. A straightforward and practical solution to a simple problem. You know, I was going to be sarcastic here about the number of threads on the same issue but on second thoughts, I'll just be nice - Uksnowy, your persistence in the face of adversity is admirable but the site rules won't ever change. Just go with the flow here and accept that we are all as but dust in the wind of Laurel's extreme vetting....

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyGpGdrYuBLBtWvGtP3kMrWktY1Wq_ysTtnljA86Yx28Pi-_vh

 

[NicoleZ]

I was going to be sarcastic here about the number of threads on the same issue but on second thoughts, I'll just be nice

Is it even possible for you to be anything but nice dear?

 

[ChloeTzang]

Is it even possible for you to be anything but nice dear?

LOL. Ummmm. I'd have to work really really hard at it but I'm sure I could manage if I really really tried. I'd have to practice tho coz yeah, it wouldn't be me. I can do mean jokes tho, does that count?

I see it a lot at work, it just makes such a huge difference to people when they know you really really care about them, even if you'll never see them again. OMG. Philosophy of life in the early hours! I gotta get my Miss Mean coffee

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS1RL1OwSbIjdxk7814uu3a-0ajcqGAzgz_xu0nnKgQaAj6z10j

 

[Handley_Page]

Erm. . . Thought.
Snowy wouldn't be doin' all this to wind us all up,
Would he ?

 

[NicoleZ]

Erm. . . Thought.
Snowy wouldn't be doin' all this to wind us all up,
Would he ?

Erm... Another thought:

Are we really sure Snowy is Snowy and not JBJ or Uncle Tx who, bored by the reptitiveness and predictability, has decided to liven things up?

 

[ChloeTzang]

Erm... Another thought:

Are we really sure Snowy is Snowy and not JBJ or Uncle Tx who, bored by the reptitiveness and predictability, has decided to liven things up?

Ooooooh. Subtlety. I love it. But would JBJ or Tex be familiar with that Estuary dialect thing. I'm going to have another coffee and ponder this one.

 

[Handley_Page]

Ooooooh. Subtlety. I love it. But would JBJ or Tex be familiar with that Estuary dialect thing. I'm going to have another coffee and ponder this one.

Personally, I doubt anyone outside the Estuary area would even want to understand that gibberish.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I've been rejected maybe 4 times. Laurel rejects my stuff when I wander off the reservation with uncommon practices. Commercial publishers do the same. Academic publishers do the same. LIT is Laurels ball park.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Personally, I doubt anyone outside the Estuary area would even want to understand that gibberish.

Lol. I have no idea what it even sounds like. I mean, I know the UK has a gazillion dialects and almost all of them are unintelligible. Honestly, when I was there it was weird. You knew english spoken it was being, but understandable? Nope. Except that bbc english. I was like, can you write that down?

 

[ChloeTzang]

I've been rejected maybe 4 times. Laurel rejects my stuff when I wander off the reservation with uncommon practices. Commercial publishers do the same. Academic publishers do the same. LIT is Laurels ball park.

And snowy is on the cricket field

Ooohhhhh the coffee has really kicked in this morning.

 

[Green_Knight]

Lol. I have no idea what it even sounds like. I mean, I know the UK has a gazillion dialects and almost all of them are unintelligible. Honestly, when I was there it was weird. You knew english spoken it was being, but understandable? Nope. Except that bbc english. I was like, can you write that down?

It's not that difficult, Chloe. An easy bit of a poem for you to start with.

Ole Mr Blanchflower Wot Allus Do the ‘nnouncements
At the Troshin' Fair Tell ‘em Wot’s On

Fust we hev on an expedition of thatchin’
Wot include layin’ and tyin’ and cross-hatchin’,
Follered at two by a tork on eel catchin’.

Then we hev the W.I. singin’ for yew
Thar own varsion of Jerusalem, wot’s bran new
(Tho’ Mrs Black int har cos she’s orf with the flu).

At three we’ll be a hevin’ the best tastin’ caerke
(Wot, this yar, ‘ll be judged by the Reverend Blake),
Then the Broadshire Battle Grup—arter a short break

Will be a doin’ thar Hastin’s (1066).
Larst we hev the Thrapston Morris Men and thar sticks,
Accompanied on harmonicals by Sid Hicks.
​

Cameron Self - Literary Norfolk

I'll hev you kno', round har we hev our own Professor o' Sociolinguistics at the university so dunt yew be talkin' a load o' ol' squit about our dialects.

 

[NicoleZ]

Personally, I doubt anyone outside the Estuary area would even want to understand that gibberish.

Nono! Don't you ever dare diss Kev, Dan, Tracey Jane or Kayley again!

 

[NicoleZ]

Lol. I have no idea what it even sounds like. I mean, I know the UK has a gazillion dialects and almost all of them are unintelligible. Honestly, when I was there it was weird. You knew english spoken it was being, but understandable? Nope. Except that bbc english. I was like, can you write that down?

Do you say Herbs or UUUUUURRBBBZZ? Anyone who pronounces herbs URRRBZZ has no right whatsoever to call English dialects "unintelligible", "weird" or incomprehensible.

 

[TxRad]

Uncle Tex has never had anything rejected at Lit or by his publishers.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Do you say Herbs or UUUUUURRBBBZZ? Anyone who pronounces herbs URRRBZZ has no right whatsoever to call English dialects "unintelligible", "weird" or incomprehensible.

Erbs. of course Toe-may-toes.sked-jool. Moh-buhl. Lee-zhuhr. wah-ta (water). Oh, american dialects are just as good. I could make fun of american regional dialects all day. And that's nof even starting on canadians eh! Good thing we can all write and read

 

[sr71plt]

Uncle Tex has never had anything rejected at Lit or by his publishers.

I have, but other than one where I hadn't absorbed that even fake URLs couldn't be included in a story, nothing originally rejected had to have a word or a comma changed for it to be posted once I'd asked Laurel to point out specifically why it was rejected. As noted before, I think the "rejection" should be changed to "query" in keeping with the rest of the publishing world, because Laurel doesn't really verify that something is in a story to justify rejection--she's just scanning and guessing.

 

[NotWise]

I have, but other than one where I hadn't absorbed that even fake URLs couldn't be included in a story, nothing originally rejected had to have a word or a comma changed for it to be posted once I'd asked Laurel to point out specifically why it was rejected. As noted before, I think the "rejection" should be changed to "query" in keeping with the rest of the publishing world, because Laurel doesn't really verify that something is in a story to justify rejection--she's just scanning and guessing.

The term on the new dashboard is "Sent Back" rather than rejected.

 

[sr71plt]

The term on the new dashboard is "Sent Back" rather than rejected.

Thanks. That's a vast improvement. In mainstream publishing we are taught not to use the word "rejected" on anything until you've gotten to the lawyer phase with an author on something. And then you should be damn sure you're right in your position.